Morning links: Draft day

Good morning. Draft day is finally here. Even though Seattle does not have a pick in the first round, we’ll host a live chat from the VMAC beginning at 4:45 this afternoon. So stop by and check it out while you’re watching the draft this evening.

We’ll announce and discuss each pick, along with providing any Seahawks information that happens during the opening round of the draft.

In my story today, even though the Seahawks are not scheduled to draft in the first round for only the fourth time in franchise history, general manager John Schneider and the rest of the crew still plan on showing up.

But it’s unlikely that the Seahawks will trade up in the draft. Seattle has enough draft capital to make a move, with 10 picks overall. But Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll have not traded up in the draft in the duo’s three-year tenure with the Seahawks.

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Last year, the Seahawks gave up the No. 12 overall pick to Philadelphia in exchange for the Eagles’ first-rounder at No. 15 (which Seattle used to draft defensive end Bruce Irvin), fourth-round (defensive tackle Jaye Howard) and sixth-round picks (cornerback Jeremy Lane).

Seattle also traded the team’s second-round pick to the New York Jets for the Jets’ second-round (linebacker Bobby Wagner), fifth-round (LB Korey Toomer) and seventh-round picks (DE Greg Scruggs).

The last time Seattle moved up in the draft was in 2009 during the Tim Ruskell era. Seattle gave up third and fourth-round picks to Chicago for the Bears’ second round pick, selecting center Max Unger. Seattle also traded the team’s fifth- and seventh-round selections for Philadelphia’s third-round pick, selecting receiver Deon Butler.

Lloyd and Constance Trufant will hold a draft party for youngest son Desmond tonight and downtown Tacoma. It’s the same thing the couple did for oldest son Marcus a decade ago, when the Seahawks selected the oldest Trufant with the team’s No. 11 overall pick in 2003. Desmond Trufant has visited Atlanta, Jacksonville and New England, and could go as high as No. 13 to the New York Jets in this year’s draft.

This is an interesting tidbit from the National Football Post’s “Intel, Observations and Whispers” post: “The Seahawks already have used their first round pick to acquire Percy Harvin this offseason, but the feeling inside team headquarters is they are still one elite wide receiver away from being a complete team. The Seahawks’ first pick is the 56th overall, but they still have 10 selections so they could do some maneuvering in order to put themselves in position to select one of the draft’s better receivers. Trading into the first round would be a long shot, however.”

Clare Farnsworth of Seaawks.com writes that other teams around the league are looking to follow Seattle’s blueprint in the draft, like selecting long, lanky corners.

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